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U T. A. EDISON. ELECTRIC LOUOMOTIVE.

No. 475,493. Patented May 24, 1892 T. A. EDISON.

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ELECTRIC IZOOOMOTIVE.

291', knew e0 Patented May 24, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT scion.

THOMAS A. EDISON, on LLEWELLYN PA K,,NEW JERs 'Y, ASSIGNOR To THE EDISON ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELEGTRlC LQCOMOTIVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,493, (listed May 24, 1892.

Original application filed June 3,1'880, Serial No. 11.248. Divided and application filed May 1882, 8e'rial1lo.61,955- Again divided and this application filed June 9,1891. Serial No. 395,703. (No model.) Pfitented in England September 25, l 880, No. 3,894; in Canada. March 31,1881, No. 12.568; in India. May 3, 1881, No. 341; in Victoria May 12, 1881.110. 8,012-I in France 1 May 27, 1881, 110.141.7623 in New South Wales Jnne25, 1881.,No. 948, in Queenslniid'June 30.1881,N0. 21/299, and in New Zesla-nd August 2, 1881,110- 542.

J one 25, 1881; in Queensland, No. 21/299,

dated June 30, 1881,'and in New Zealand, No. 15 542 dated August 2, 1881;) and I do hereby declare that the following is a. full and exact description of the snme,'ref erence being had to the accompanying drawings-and to the letters and figures of refit-hence marked thereon.

This specification is e d'i'vision of my application, Serial No. 61,955, filed May -20, 1882, which was a division of my application, Serial No. 11,243, filed June 3, 1880.

The object of this inv'ention is-to furnish 2 5 an economical system of electromagnetic rnilways or trainways which while useful in any locality, shall be particularly adapted to re-v gions where the traific is too light for ordinary steam-railways or where the main bulk of the trafiic is limited to certain seasons or where the difiiculties or expense of grading render ordinary steam-roads impracticable.

To this end the invention consists in acornpl'ete elcctro-niag'netic railwny system em- 3 5 bracing the generation, d1stribution nnd utilization of electric currents as a. motive power and in the novel'devices and combination of devices therefor, as more particularly lcscribed and claimed. V g In carrying my invention into elfectthe rails of the track are electrically connected, so that each line ot-rails form a part of the circuit. For the traveling motor or locomotive an electromagnetic engine is mounted 5 upon a suitable frame supported upon the axles of the driving and other wheels. In,

order that the circuit from one line of mils to the other he not directly through the wheels and a'xle's, but be through the motor, each car is, so to speak, electrically cut in two by the 5 interposition of insulating material somewhere in its structure, the poles of the motor being connected one to each division. A preferable method is to form thehub and flange of a wheel of separate metallic parts uniting them by boltingeach to a wooden web which insulates the two, whereby the body of the'cara'nd the axles are insulated from the track. Contact-springs bear against the flanges or preferably against hubs se- 6:

cured thereto by cross-bars or spiders whose outer ends are bolted to the flanges. lhe contacts are connected to'the brushes of the motor, oneto each, respectively, through the rcversing'key and contacts hereinafter spoken of.

In the accompanying drawings I show more in detail how this invention may be carried into effect. It is to be remembered, however, that these details may be varied or equine 7o lents used, and that therefore I do not limit invself generally in such cases to the precise details therein illustrated. 1

Figure 141s a perspective of an engine-car in operative relation withrespect to the source 7 5 of electricity. Fig. 2 is a. diagram showing the connection of electrical devices on the car in multiple arc. B is any suitable stationary dynamo-electric machine driven by any suitable source of power. From the generator l3 connection through conductors l and 2 is made to the rails of the main track M T, respectively. The cur'rcnt is utilized as a. motive agent by an electromagnetic engine M E, constructed as'shown in the drawings, in which F is any suitable frame work suspended from the main driving-axle and placed upon the other axle.

The wheels used under the engine-cur and go all other cars are constructed as shown. The flange F and hub M are made separately and connected by a wooden web 0, towhich they are bolted, the wheel thencousisting of a. mic Y tallic hub, a. metallic flange, nndnn intervcn g 5 ingwoodcn or insulatingweb. By this means parents is as follows: Current b'eing-(li-* the axle and body of the car are insulatedv from the flanges and track and the current calnnot pass thereth rough from one rail to the ot ier.

On the engine-car a spider, or frame N is secured to the flangeF', so as to be in electrical contact therewith, but not touching or forming contact with the hub M. Upon the centerof N is a boss or spindle n, on which bears a contact-brush held by'an arm P. Ouri'ent passes from the line of rails through one flange F, frame N, boss or spindle 1:, brush P, through the armature of the electric engine M E and the other translating devices,

hereinafter described, in parallel circuit,

thence by the other arm P on the opposite side of the car, spindle-irame,' and flange to the other line of rails. Between the contacts, with conductors on opposite sides of the car, as described, the rotating armature R A is in branch circuit 99100. The field-magnets F M of the motor are in a parallel branch 300, and an electric lamp L P is. in a third parallel or multiple-arc branch 500.,

In Fig.1, E M is a pair of ordinary electromagnets -located vertically and presenting their poles in close proximity to the trackrail'. They are used to give a better or an increased traction to avoid slippiugand are an aid to brake the vehicle. There-are one or more pairs on each side of thecar. The mag nets are suspended from the car-frame so that their poles are over and in direct contiguity to the rails. From them and including the coils thereof and a circuit-breaker k a circuit extends to the arms P, so that they are in a branch circuit 4(20 between the tracks in par allel or multiple arc with the other devices for running, controlling, or lighting the car, as described.

Motion is communicated from the rotating armature-shaft to the axle of the vehicle in the following manner: g is the main drivingaxle, upon whichis mounted a friction-wheel G. Upon the shaft 0 of the magnetic engine is a friction-pulley e, the pulleys e and G not being in contact. In a swinging frame-f, pivoted at h, is mounted a friction-pulley -21. The,

frame f beingdepressed bears upon e and G and communicates motion from c to G, the percentage transferred being proportioned to the frictional. contact of i upon e and G. r

The operation of the arrangement of aprected upon and caused to flow in the track or conductors M '1 passes through the collecting devices, the wheels, and the circuits con-.

nected thereto, in the manner hereinbefore described. The lamp L P is caused to glow,

operating as an indicator of the condition at the circuit to those-upon the car and to furnish light it artificial light be required. The

key k is closed in circuit 400, the traction-t magnets E M operate upon the track to in crease the traction and aid in the overcoming ofinertia, current flows in circuit 300, the magnetism of the field is established, and

current flows in the hran'ch99 100 through the armature R'A, causing it to rotate. Circult being established in the various branches and the different devices describedco-operating, the lever f is depressed, bringing pulley H 'i into connection with e and G, communion? ing the motion of the former to the latter, and

the car moves along in aregular gradually accelerating progression.

In Fig. 2 there is shown the coil 0t amagnet P M in circuit with the field-coils of it re mo-f tor. The lever Lof said magnet is polarized and is held in a retracted position bya spring. The armature-lever is pivotedjat-its, upper end. It is useful as a resistance in said circult, and may be employed-to sound amalarm and forother' purposes.

The polarized electro-magnet and its arms ture-lever L (shown in Fig. 2) formno' part of the invention herein described and claimed, the samebeing described and claimed in another pending application.

I do not abandon or dedicate to th'e public any patentable matter herein described and shown but not claimed, asthis forms the sub ject-matter of my applications, Serial No. 11,243, filed June 3, 1880, and Serial No. 61,955,, filed May 20, 1882,.or of one i of the divisions thereof, serially Jlumbered 395,7Q0,,395,701,

395,702, 395,704, or 395,705, filed June 3,1891.

What I claim, and desire to secnre'by Let ters Patent, is:---- Y v 1. In an electric railway having a suitable source of current and supply conductors, the combination, with a car, ofan. electric motor mounted thereon and two derived or'multiple are circuits, one including the rotatingarmature of the motor, the otherincluding the coils of the field-magnets, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, 'withithe track-rails used as conductora'wheelis having insulated fla'ngesfand means for conveying current therefrom, of several multiple-arc circuits across fromrail to rail .upon thesame car,

each containing a device used in running,

controlling, or lighting the ear. substantially as set forth. a

3. The combination, in, an electric-rellway system, of a source of current and supply condoctors, a car, an electro-dynamic motor on the car and having connection with the supply-conductors, and other electrical devices also on the car and in separate multipleqirc branches, substantially as described.

4. The combination, in an electric-railway system, of a source of current and supply conductors, a car, an electro dynamic motor on thecar and having connection with the supply-conductors, and other electrical devices branches, substantially as described.

5. The combination, in an-electric-railwaysystem, of a stationary dynamo-electric machine, amoving vehicle, an electro-dynamie motor'located on the vehicle by which it is propelled, a crrcuit,including the dynamo-maal'so'. on the car and in separate multiple-arc chine at the station, the motor on the car and avisible indicating device, such as a, lamp, the field-coils of the motor, the armature-coils, and the indicating device being in separate parallel branches, substantially as described.

6. The combination, in an electric-railway system, of a stationary dynamo-electric machine, a, moving. vehicle, an electro-dynamic motor located on the vehicle by which it is propelled, a. circuit, including the stationary dynamo-machine, the motor on the car and and the electromagnetic traction device are 1 in separate parallel branches, substantially as described.

THOMAS A. EDISON.

Witnesses:

THOMAS MAGUIRE, J onn F. R irinomm.w 

